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Overview

War, Chaos, and History considers the implications of the emerging field of research in chaos-complexity-non-linearity for the study of war. This study examines the special dependence of military professionals on history in their shaping of doctrines, style, and attitudes in spite of the wide gap between the portrayal of war in military history and the far greater intricacy of its reality. Special foci in the analysis include: the fragility of doctrine; the chronic confounding of plans and expectations in actual operations; the congruences of chaos and creativity theoretics; effects of war on the environment; and problems of evidence and reportage. Three casesbattle cruisers, tank destroyers, and heavy fighter aircraftare presented to illustrate paradoxes, especially the gap between vision and realization, and the tension between the urge to control and the impulse to create chaos in war.

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About the Author

ROGER BEAUMONT has taught history at Texas A&M since 1974. He served two tours of active duty with the army as a military police officer. A cofounder and former North American editor of Defense Analysis, Beaumont was the first historian named as a Secretary of the Navy Fellow at the U.S. Naval Academy. The most recent of his 10 books and monographs is Joint Military Operations: A Short History (Greenwood, 1993).

Editorial Reviews

Beaumont (history, Texas A&M U.) applies the concepts of chaos- complexity to military history, particularly to the chronic confounding of the well laid plans of both winners and losers, and the simultaneous and contradictory attempts of combatants to create chaos and impose order. Among the topics are the military utility of military history, the fragility of doctrine, complexity and creativity, and the environmental impacts of war. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)